Gemotions

The decision arrived on a Tuesday, during the morning commute. Amelia had checked her phone while waiting for the bus, the usual ritual. The rejection notification hit her with the force of a punch. She slumped against the pole.

The bus arrived, packed and noisy. The jostling bodies, the blaring radio, were an assault on her senses. The world felt too much. She pressed her forehead against the cold window, trying to find some semblance of calm.

She got off a stop early, needing air, needing space. The city, usually a source of energy, felt overwhelming, suffocating. She walked, head bowed, not knowing where she was going.